FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[igorsMistress]

Why I stick to fermenting, notice it in my wallet. Lucky also on the wallet I have a local mill I get 17% mash with a nice grain consistency for $10 for 50lbs, nice stuff and I can go heavy on water and it doesn't get mushy or sloppy like pellets and crumble. The extra water works great for the backslop.

I am still on that search. Hard to find around here for whatever reason.

 

[igorsMistress]

Could you put out enough FF to last them all day?

I don't know that it would be any good. It gets to 115 during the day and cools to a chilly 95 at night. Do you think it would spoil and be gross by nightfall?

I suppose I could try it.

 

[Wandercreek]

I don't know that it would be any good. It gets to 115 during the day and cools to a chilly 95 at night. Do you think it would spoil and be gross by nightfall?

I don't think it would "spoil" in a day, but if they have leftovers by nightfall, you're feeding too much. If you can, I'd work on fine tuning the portions.

 

[igorsMistress]

I don't think it would "spoil" in a day, but if they have leftovers by nightfall, you're feeding too much. If you can, I'd work on fine tuning the portions.

I know that 4 oz of their dry food plus 1 c water makes half a days rations for the whole flock. I figured 1/4 lb food per chicken per day, I have 6. 5 pullets and 1 cockerel. They have access to my entire backyard. There are plenty of lizards and bugs out there.

I know feed consumption is affected by fermentation so to be on the safe side I give a weighed amount every morning and keep dry food in a bowl in the coop. Some days there's less food at the end of the day than others. We have had a lot of wind this year and on very windy days they eat more crumble. Working on wind breaks but trees take a while to grow

I am going to offer a maybe half again as much food and see how late in the day it gets before the food is gone.

It's brutally hot here in the summer and stuff spoils. Ice cream melts in an air conditioned car before you can get it home. So if the chickens only get fermented food most of the time, it's better than none at all I think.

 

[Wandercreek]

@wyldflwr
Honestly, I see nothing wrong with FF in the morning and dry for the rest of the day if that works for you. I'm not in the "all or none" FF camp. I feed one or the other (or both) depending on how much time I have on any given day.

As far as spoiling goes, I suggested that it wouldn't spoil in a day for two reasons.
1) I've read it in this thread a few times that it doesn't spoil, and
2) I've seen it dry up here in a half day in temps in the 85-95 range.

Now, I don't know if it spoils at all (maybe it does?)...though it could certainly grow mold. I'm just not sure that it could do that in the temps you get before it would dry up. I'm just guessing here- our situations are vastly different and I'm sure FF behaves differently for me than it does for you. I mix a very dry FF, yours may have more moisture than mine.

One thing is for sure...I don't envy you those temps! I lived most my life in south Texas, so I'm familiar with brutal summers. OUCH! I don't miss them.

 

[Molpet]

I don't know that it would be any good. It gets to 115 during the day and cools to a chilly 95 at night. Do you think it would spoil and be gross by nightfall?

I suppose I could try it.

It may get a growth of the white mother on top, but that is not mold or spoiled... black mold it a problem.. but when it drys it might be dark brown, close to black, and not be mold... some FF is better than none, go with your gut and do what you think is best

 

[lazy gardener]

I would simply cut the portion size down. Feed out FF in the morning, and either leave out some dry crumble, or put some out when you get home from work. I'd be sure not to leave any feed out over night, especially dry, as it attracts rodents.

 

[igorsMistress]

@wyldflwr
Honestly, I see nothing wrong with FF in the morning and dry for the rest of the day if that works for you. I'm not in the "all or none" FF camp. I feed one or the other (or both) depending on how much time I have on any given day.

As far as spoiling goes, I suggested that it wouldn't spoil in a day for two reasons.
1) I've read it in this thread a few times that it doesn't spoil, and
2) I've seen it dry up here in a half day in temps in the 85-95 range.

Now, I don't know if it spoils at all (maybe it does?)...though it could certainly grow mold. I'm just not sure that it could do that in the temps you get before it would dry up. I'm just guessing here- our situations are vastly different and I'm sure FF behaves differently for me than it does for you. I mix a very dry FF, yours may have more moisture than mine.

One thing is for sure...I don't envy you those temps! I lived most my life in south Texas,geI'm familiar with brutal summers. OUCH! I don't miss them.

I don't think it would mold in summer, maybe during monsoon season but it will probably fry on the top and be gooey inside

I don't know if it spoils but it certainly doesn't take long to smell questionable once fermentation stops. Plus the time thing can be another issue for me too. Too much work not enough time in the garden!

 

[igorsMistress]

I would simply cut the portion size down. Feed out FF in the morning, and either leave out some dry crumble, or put some out when you get home from work. I'd be sure not to leave any feed out over night, especially dry, as it attracts rodents.

Thanks lazy gardener. I only feed them half a days ration in the morning of the FF based on 1/4 lb per bird per day. I am guessing this is based on dry weight because they don't go through much dry food in a day now.

 

[FlyWheel]

Could you put out enough FF to last them all day? <Snip!>

Good luck with that, My ladies go so crazy over the fermented stuff they eat a day's worth in less than 30 minutes!